CALIPHS OF SPAIN. 61 



the ancient possessors of the country. The little pro- 

 vince of Granada alone maintained its independ- 

 ence, reinforced by subsidies from Africa and the 

 fugitive Moslems from the cities conquered by the 

 Christians. For nearly three centuries it continued 

 to increase in population, wealth, and power ; and 

 was governed by the laws and religion of Moham- 

 med,, until it was finally destroyed by the arms of 

 Ferdinand and Isabella, whose fortunate marriage 

 united the crowns of Castille and Arragon, and an- 

 nexed to their dominions all the inferior principali- 

 ties of the kingdom. Thousands of the zealous and 

 conscientious followers of the Arabian Prophet were 

 put to the sword or driven into exile, and the more 

 timid compelled to a nominal acknowledgment of 

 the Gospel. The surrender of Granada, after ten 

 years of incessant fighting, terminated the dominion 

 of the Moors in Spain, which had endured 778 years, 

 and engaged the Christians in 3700 battles. " This 

 great triumph of our holy Catholic faith," says the 

 pious and minute Fray Agapida, " took place in the 

 beginning of January in the year of our Lord 1492, 

 being 3655 years from the population of Spain by 

 the patriarch Tubal ; 3797 from the general de- 

 luge ; 5453 from the creation of the world ; and in 

 the month Rebiah, in the 897th year of the Hejira, 

 or flight of Mohammed, whom God confound !"* 



This detested nation, whose conquest and expul- 

 sion were attended with such atrocities, and such tri- 

 umphs to the Catholic church, were by far the most 

 industrious and skilful part of the Spanish popula- 

 tion ; and their loss was a blow to the greatness 



* Conquest of Granada by Washington Irving. 

 VOL. II. D 



